Dual terminal connector



g- 1964 w. A. DE SMIDT v DUAL TERMINAL CONNECTQR I Filed Sept. 15, 1962 v //\wwu 9 R 7 INVENTOR WOODROW A.DE SMIDT AT TORNEY Uni'ted States Patent 015cc 3,144,293 Patented Aug. 11, 1964 3,144,293 DUAL TERMINAL CONNECTOR Woodrow A. De Smidt, Whitefish Bay, Wis, assignor to Alien-Bradley Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Sept. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 223,429 4 Claims. (Cl. 339-244) This invention relates to terminal connectors for wires, cables and the like; and it more particularly resides in a connector having a frame having a bore therein and a pair of clamping members movable in the bore, with one of the clamping members being operable by means of a tool which extends through a tool passage formed in the other clamping member without operatively engaging the other clamping member.

This invention is primarily intended for use in connecting electrical conductors, although it will become apparent that it is equally well adapted for use in connecting non-conductive wires, cables or the like.

A number of connector structures have been devised, especially for use in connecting electrical conductors. In the main, these comprise a base member in the form of a frame or sleeve and a threaded clamping member. The conductors to be connected are grouped together and held in this position while the clamping member is operated to clamp them together and against the base member. Such connectors are not fully satisfactory, especially in those cases where it is desired to connect wires or multi-strand cables that are stiff and of relatively large diameter. In such cases it is difficult for the person making the connection to hold the cables or wires in grouped relation while operating the clamping member, and a poor electrical or mechanical connection often results.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a connector especially designed for the connection of hard to handle wires or cables in which a first clamping member is used to secure one wire or cable and a second clamping member is then used to secure a second wire or cable.

It is another object of this invention to provide a connector in which one clamping member can be operated by a tool which passes through but does not operatively engage a second clamping member.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a connector in which a second clamping member serves to clamp a wire or cable between itself and a first clamping member, and in which the first clamping member is electrically conductive and serves as an electrical connection between two wires or cables.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a connector having a frame with open ends so that the wires or cables to be connected may be inserted from either side of the connector.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a connector which is adapted to utilize any reasonable number of clamping members.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a sturdy, long-wearing connector having the foregoing ad vantages,but which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description to follow. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded isometric view of -a connector formed according to this invention,

FIG. 2 is a view in cross section taken along the plane 22 shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the connector of FIG. 1

showing the manner in which a first wire or cable is secured, and

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the connector of FIG. 1 showing the manner in which a second wire or cable is secured.

The connector of FIGS. 1-4 includes a frame 1 formed of a generally rectangular block of any suitable material. A generally rectangular opening 2 extends laterally through the frame 1, and because of this the frame 1 can be said to be cage-like with side walls 3, open ends 4, a bottom wall 5 and a top wall 6.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, semi-circular, threaded vertical grooves 7 are provided along the inner surfaces of each of the side walls 3, and a threaded aperture 8 is provided in the top wall 6. The grooves 7 and aperture 8 are arranged so as to provide a continuous threaded bore, of substantially constant internal diameter somewhat greater than the normal distance between the side walls 3, that extends upwardly from the bottom wall 5 through the top wall 6 and serves to complete the cagelike characteristics of the frame 1.

A first, or bottom, clamping member 9 and a second, or top, clamping member 10, both in the form of threaded set screws, are threadedly engaged with and movable through the bore formed by the groove 7 and aperture 8. The bottom clamping member 9 is formed of an electrically conductive material and a hexagonal, upwardly opening tool receiving socket 11 is formed in its upper end. The top clamping member 10 has an aperture or tool passage 12 extending vertically therethrough that is of larger internal diameter than the socket 11, and is also provided with a screw head slot 13 at its upper end. For reasons that will become apparent, the member 10 need not be electrically conductive although convenience will usually dictate that the members 9 and 10 be formed of the same material. The slot 13 also serves as a tool receiving socket as will be described.

The operation of the embodiment of the invention shown herein can now be described with particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. It should be noted at the outset that connection is accomplished with the members 9 and 10 both disposed within the bore formed in the frame 1.

A first electrical conductor 14, here shown as an electrically conductive cable, is first placed against the inner surface of the bottom wall 5. A conventional Allen-head wrench 15 is then passed through the aperture 12 and engages with the socket 11 whereby the member 9 can be moved downwardly to clamp the conductor 14 against the bottom wall 5. Since the aperture 12 is larger than the socket 11, the wrench 15 does not operatively engage the member iii while the member 9 is being moved to clamping position.

After the conductor 14 has been clamped in place as aforesaid, a second conductor 16 is placed on its upper surface. A conventional screw driver 17 is then used to move the member 10 downwardly as seen in FIG. 4 to clamp the conductor 16 in place between the members 9 and 10. Since the member 9 is electrically conductive, it serves to complete an electrical circuit between the conductors 14 and 16. Itwill be obvious that the conductors 14 and 16 may be disconnected in inverse order.

The fact that the conductors 14 and 16 are clamped in place independently of one another makes it easy for the person making the connection to hold each in place as it is being secured, thus insuring a secure mechanical and electrical connection. Also, the open ends 4 of the frame 1 allow the conductors 14 and 16 to be inserted from either side of the frame 1.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, with reference to a particular intended use, it should be obvious that variations in both structure and use are possible without de- 3 parture from the invention. For example, a connector so constructed could easily be used with non-electrically conductive cables, wires or ropes. For this reason, the term cable as it appears in the claims appended hereto, is intended, unless otherwise specified, to include wires, cables, ropes and similar items formed of fiber, metal or any other material whether or not electrically conductive.

It will also be apparent that tool receiving sockets of polygonal configurations other than the conventional hexagonal socket 11 shown herein, for example a screw slot, could be substituted for the socket 11 without departure from the invention. It is necessary only that the member 9 have a tool receiving socket smaller than the diameter of the aperture 32.

Similarly, the screw head slot 13 is not necessary as such and its purpose could be accomplished by the provision of a polygonal aperture similar to but larger than the socket 11 so that a wrench larger than the wrench 15 could be used to move the member it). By using a series of polygonal openings of increasing size, or by equivalent means, any reasonable number of clamping members could be used within a single frame, and the invention is not intended to be limited to cases in which only two clamping members are used.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown herein, the conductors 14 and 16 are held in place directly by the members 9 and 10. If desired, conventional independent gripping fixtures could be added without departure from the invention.

Since the foregoing and other variations are possible within the sco e of the invention, the invention is not intended to be limited except insofar as such limitations appear in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a connector the combination comprising: a frame having a bottom wall, a pair of oppositely disposed side walls and an open end, the facing surfaces of said side walls being shaped to define a vertical bore extending upwardly from the bottom wall; a first clamping member disposed within and movable through the bore, said first clamping member being adapted to be operated by a tool to clamp a first cable between itself and the bottom wall; and a second clamping member disposed within the bore above the first clamping member and adapted to be moved Y toward the first clamping member to clamp a second cable therebetween, said second clamping member having a tool passage extending vertically therethrough of sufiicient size so that a tool for operating the first clamping member may pass therethrough and be used to operate the first clamping member without operatively engaging the second clamping member.

2. In a connector the combination comprising: a frame having bottom and top walls, a pair of oppositely disposed side walls and open ends, the facing surfaces of said side walls being provided with threads and said top wall having a threaded aperture tlierethrough, said threads and aperture together defining a threaded bore extending upwardly from the bottom wall through the top wall; a first threaded clamping member tbreadedly engaged in and movable through the bore and having an upwardly opening tool receiving socket formed in its upper end; and a second threaded clamping member threadedly engaged in and movable through the bore and disposed above the first clamping member, said second clamping member having a tool passage extending vertically therethrough that is larger in diameter than the tool receiving socket of the first clamping member.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the first clamping member is adapted to clamp a first electrical conductor between itself and the bottom wall of the frame and the second clamping member is adapted to clamp a sec ond electrical conductor between itself and the first clamping member and the first clamping member is formed of an electrically conductive material to complete an electrical circuit between the conductors.

4. In a connector the combination comprising: a cagelike frame having bottom and top walls, a pair of oppositely disposed side walls and open ends, said frame having a threaded bore formed in the side walls and extending through the top wall that is of a diameter larger than the distance between the side walls; a first threaded set screw threadedly engaged with and movable through the bore and having an upwardly opening polygonal tool receiving socket formed in its upper end; and a second threaded set screw threadedly engaged in and movable through the bore and disposed above the first set screw that has a tool passage extending vertically therethrough that is of a diameter larger than that of the tool receiving socket of the first set screw, said second setscrew also having an upwardly opening screw head slot formed in its upper end.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 791,548 Fischer June 6, 1905 1,453,001 Camp Apr. 24, 1923 1,677,783 Kearney July 17, 1928 2,006,794 Davidson July 2, 1935 2,122,030 Douglas June 28, 1938 2,732,535 Hammerly Jan. 24, 1956 

2. IN A CONNECTOR THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: A FRAME HAVING BOTTOM AND TOP WALLS, A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY DISPOSED SIDE WALLS AND OPEN ENDS, THE FACING SURFACES OF SAID SIDE WALLS BEING PROVIDED WITH THREADS AND SAID TOP WALL HAVING A THREADED APERTURE THERETHROUGH, SAID THREADS AND APERTURE TOGETHER DEFINING A THREADED BORE EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM WALL THROUGH THE TOP WALL; A FIRST THREADED CLAMPING MEMBER THREADEDLY ENGAGED IN AND MOVABLE THROUGH THE BORE AND HAVING AN UPWARDLY OPENING TOOL RECEIVING SOCKET FORMED IN ITS UPPER END; AND A SECOND THREADED CLAMPING MEMBER THREADEDLY ENGAGED IN AND MOVABLE THROUGH THE BORE AND DISPOSED ABOVE THE FIRST CLAMPING MEMBER, SAID SECOND CLAMPING MEMBER HAVING A TOOL PASSAGE EXTENDING VERTICALLY THERETHROUGH THAT IS LARGER IN DIAMETER THAN THE TOOL RECEIVING SOCKET OF THE FIRST CLAMPING MEMBER. 